Aplustrum amplustre (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Location
- Aigae, Hachijo Island, Tokyo, Japan
- Date
- Length
- 20mm
- Depth
- 3.0m
- Water temperature
- ??℃
Description
A small aplustrid with a translucent white body and an ivory-coloured shell up to about 15 mm long, decorated with two broad pinkish bands; each ivory–pink boundary is outlined by a fine black line. The mantle margin of the soft parts is bordered in white. Unlike many related cephalaspideans, the soft parts can be fully retracted into the shell.Distribution
Indo-Pacific. Records include South Africa, Madagascar, Tanzania, Japan, Guam and Hawaii.Etymology
The specific epithet amplustre is the Latin for the curved ornamental sternpost of an ancient Roman ship, in allusion to the shell's elevated, banded spire.Remarks
Originally described as Bulla amplustre in Systema Naturae, 10th edition (Holmiae, 1758) and reprised in the 12th edition (1767: 1184 §381) as "B. testa subrotunda, spira elevata obtusa, fasciis incarnatis", with the type locality given simply as Asia. Subsequently transferred to Aplustrum Schumacher, 1817. WoRMS currently lists Hydatina amplustre as the accepted combination, with Aplustrum amplustre as an alternative representation; both names refer to the same species.References
A Kindle field guide by the site author
Kimoto N. (2026). Sea Slugs of Japan & the Indo-Pacific, 2nd Edition.
Kindle Edition
View on Amazon PR (Amazon Associates)Seasonality
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Photos of Aplustrum amplustre
Tag:
Similar Colors Nudibranchs
Academic Database
Sea slug observation data is available in international marine biodiversity databases.